If it weren't for the fact that Xu Ke had practiced the Heaven-Defying Fate Change Technique—which depleted his cultivation and subjected him to a seal from the mysterious Oath of the Medical Path—he would have become unstoppable in the country by now, given his talent and incredible rate of progress.

"You're exaggerating, Madame Yu," Xu Ke said, a bit embarrassed as he rubbed his nose. "I'm well aware of my own cultivation level. It's nowhere near invincible."

"That's true," Ki Qinyin teased. "Your master is probably still stronger than you."

"A disciple should never surpass their master," Xu Ke said with a chuckle.

Ki Qinyin's expression then turned serious. "That's why, Dr. Xu, I hope you understand. If there is anything you need the Northern Dragon Guard to do, just tell us! Kang An and I will forever owe you our lives!" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Xu Ke's expression changed slightly at her words. "Madame Yu, that's too much!"

The Northern Dragon King himself owes me a life… If anyone else heard the Madame Dragon King say something like that to me, they'd probably pass out from sheer excitement.

But Ki Qinyin looked at him intently, shaking her head. "My words are not an overstatement. We know the great price you paid to treat Han Han's illness. You practically risked your own life to save hers, so how could we not be grateful?

"After you fell into a coma, the Medical Saint was furious. If Han Han hadn't still been unconscious, I'm afraid he would have literally blasted me down the mountain. For him to become that enraged, we can only imagine the sacrifice you made."

Xu Ke fell silent at her words, a warmth spreading through his chest as he pictured his master's face. I had no idea he did something like that for me after I fell into a coma…

Seeing him quiet, Ki Qinyin continued, "So, I hope you understand that there will always be a place for you in the Northern Dragon Guard. Originally, on my way to the gymnasium, I was planning to publicly announce that the Northern Dragon Guard would always be your ally, silencing anyone who looks down on you. But then I saw that your strength, despite having recovered, had stalled at the Postnatal Late Stage. It was clear that something was wrong. Out of caution, I decided against making the announcement and thought it better to recruit you into the Northern Dragon Guard instead."

Xu Ke gave a wry smile. "Madame Yu, you are very thorough. If you had really made that announcement, I think Wong Ting might have temporarily dropped everything happening in the Southern Territory to focus all his efforts on having me killed."

Ki Qinyin covered her mouth and giggled. "That's exactly right!"

She had been worried that publicly revealing Xu Ke's connection to the Northern Dragon Guard would alarm those who already wanted him dead, pushing them to act sooner. That would put Xu Ke in grave danger. After all, recruiting him could be explained as her simply valuing his potential. However, if word got out that the Northern Dragon King himself, Yu Kangan, wanted to partner with him, the implications would be enormous, and people would treat Xu Ke very differently.

It would send a clear message to the world: Yu Kangan was convinced that Xu Ke was destined to become a colossal figure. If that information spread, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that a group of Innate Great Perfection cultivators might come to assassinate him.

This was precisely why Ki Qinyin had insisted that everyone else wait outside while she and Xu Ke spoke alone in the conference room. She wanted to protect his identity and thank him privately for what he did all those years ago.

* * *

"By the way, what's going on with your strength?" Ki Qinyin asked again, a hint of confusion in her voice. "Since you were able to break the Oath of the Medical Path, shouldn't your previous cultivation level have returned immediately?"

Ki Qinyin had been present back then and heard Ren Gu mention the "Oath of the Medical Path." But as for what it actually was... even for someone as knowledgeable and experienced as the Madame Dragon King, it was a complete mystery.

Xu Ke shook his head. "This Oath of the Medical Path is far too esoteric. Even my master isn't entirely clear on it. I only know that while my strength has recovered significantly, it's still restricted. I can't return to the cultivation level I had three years ago."

A look of regret crossed Ki Qinyin's face as she sighed. "This is still our fault for dragging you into this."

Xu Ke waved his hand dismissively. "Madame Yu, if you truly consider me an ally of the Northern Dragon Guard, then there's no need to say such things. The purpose of studying medicine is to save people. There's no 'burdening' involved."

"Dr. Xu," Ki Qinyin remarked with a sigh, "the phrase 'a healer's benevolence' must have been coined to describe people like you."

Embarrassed by the praise, Xu Ke quickly denied it.

Ki Qinyin pressed on, "Then how can the restriction on your strength be resolved? Perhaps we can help!"

Xu Ke saying he didn't mind was one thing, but the guilt in Ki Qinyin's heart had never faded. She was determined to seize any opportunity to help him.

Hearing this, Xu Ke was momentarily stunned. He mulled it over for a moment before saying slowly, "I need items imbued with Dragon Essence to raise my cultivation again."

Ki Qinyin's eyes lit up. "Items with Dragon Essence?!"

"That's right."

Truthfully, Xu Ke hadn't wanted to ask Ki Qinyin to search for Dragon Essence Items for him. Firstly, they were exceedingly expensive. Even for someone as wealthy as the Northern Dragon King, a sustained search would consume vast amounts of manpower and resources, jeopardizing the Northern Dragon Guard's operational budget. Secondly, it felt a bit like he was cashing in on their gratitude.

But after hesitating, he considered his current predicament. By now, Wong Ting had likely learned that he had destroyed Qian Jun's Dantian. The next assassins sent after him would be more than twice as powerful. Xu Ke fully expected more attempts on his life, which might even endanger people like Wong Qifu. At a time like this, he couldn't afford to be indecisive or worry about appearances. Hesitation could be fatal. Improving his strength and staying alive was the only thing that mattered.

"A Dragon Essence Item? What's that?" Ki Qinyin asked after a moment of thought.

Xu Ke gave her a rough explanation.

Understanding dawned on Ki Qinyin's face, and she said firmly, "I'll have Kang An start searching for antiques from the Imperial Tombs right away. I'll buy you as many as you need!"

She said it with an air of extravagance, but Xu Ke quickly interjected, "There's no need to rush. Finding Dragon Essence Items is very difficult, and it's easy to throw money down the drain. Relics from the Imperial Tombs are already expensive, and on top of that, only people like us who have practiced the Heaven-Defying Fate Change Technique can determine if they truly contain any Dragon Essence. So, please don't be impulsive with your purchases. I'm telling you this with the hope that if you ever come across information about Imperial Tomb Relics that have been lost abroad, you'll let me know. I'll be the one to judge if they're worth buying."

He was genuinely worried that Ki Qinyin and Yu Kangan would spend far too much money.